Multiple unit facing wall



2 Sheets-Sheet l v A 5 M z w.

N. 1.. ABERSON MULTIPLE UNIT FACING WALL Filed Feb. 19, 1932 Sept. 8,1936.

M f/auy a ATTORNEY? Patented Sept. 8, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEMULTIPLE UNIT FACING WALL Nathaniel L. Aberson, Detroit, Mich.Application February 19, 1932, Serial No. 593,981

8Claims.

This invention relates to a multiple unit facing wall and method offorming and applying, and in particular to the fabrication of units ofsimple construction intended to form an ornamental outer surface of awall without an additional foundation.

In my prior application, Serial No. 380,795, filed July 25, 1929, and myPatent No. 1,888,417, dated November 22, 1932, I have described andillustrated a multiple unit facing wall in which a number of ornamentalbricks or slabs of approximately the same length and width as a standardbrick, but of a greatly reduced thickness, are fixed to a backing unitof predetermined size. Units are thus fabricated which may be directlyapplied to the outside surface of a wall, forming an ornamental facingwall.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a new method ofsecuring the thin slabs of brick, or other suitable material, to thecommon backing of sheet metal or wood. A layer of insulating board, suchas Celotex, may be added to the backing units if desired for insulatingpurposes. Two methods of fixing the slabs to the backing units areillustrated in 'the drawings and described hereafter. In one methodbacking units of metal are provided with lugs which are so positioned asto fit into grooves in the sides or ends of the slabs. In the secondmethod a wood backing is used. The brick slabs are provided with groovesinto which are fitted lengths of wire making a complete circuit of theslabs in a plane which is approximately parallel to the plane of thebacking when the slabs are in position. Staples driven into the woodaround the wire fix the slabs in place.

The principal advantage obtained by this invention lies in thesimplicity of construction of 'the multiple units. It is also apparentthat a veneer wall may be formed having the appearance of a heavymasonry wall, but weighing but a fraction of the latter.

In the drawings:

Figure l is an elevation of a section of wall built up of multiple unitsemploying the first method mentioned.

Figure 2 is a view along the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detailed drawing showing a crosssection of the backing.

Figure 4 is the same as Figure 3 except that one brick has been placedin position.

Figure 5 is the same es Figure 4, but with the brick held in place bybending over the lugs.

Figure 6 is a detailed drawing showing lugs of the same size as the lugsof Figure 3 but fixed to the backing by welding or brazing. I

Figure 7 is a perspective drawing in detail showing the manner ofsecuring the bricks to the backing of Figure 5. 5 t Figure 8 is aperspective drawing in detail showinganother manner of securing thebricks to the backing.

Figure 9 is an elevation of one unitbuilt employing the second methodmentioned.

Figure I0 is a view along the line Ill-l0 of Figure 9.

Figure 11 is a detailed drawing showing the manner of securing the slabsto the backing of wood.

Figure 12 is a perspective drawing in detail of the method shown inFigure 11.

Referring to the drawings, the first method of securing the brick slabsto a backing unit will be found illustrated in Figures 1 to 8,inclusive. Numeral i represents a backing unit, having corners a, b, c,and d, preferably of sheet metal, 2 represents an insulating layer ofsome material such as Celotex, and 3 slabs of some material which willgive the outside of the wall an ornamental appearance, preferably firedclay or stone. These slabs, if it is desired to form a. facing wallhaving the appearance of a usual ornamental brick wall, should be of thesame length, width and texture as the ordinary brick, but of a greatlyreduced thickness. Figures 3, 4, and 5 show one manner of fixing theornamental slabs to a backing unit. Lugs 4 which extend perpendicularlyto the backing are formed preferably by stamping. These lugs are sopositioned as to be adjacent to the grooves 5 of the brick slabs whenthe latter are placed in their proper alignment. The lugs are then bentover in some appropriate way so as to fit into the grooves, as shown at6 in Figure 5. Another manner of preparing the lugs to receive the brickslabs is shown in Figure 6. The lugs here are fixed to the backing bybrazing or welding as at 1. The bricks may be staggered in the usualway, leaving a blank space 8 adapted to cooperate with a blank space inthe adjacent unit, to receive one brick.

Lugs may be positioned with respect to the brick slabs in several ways.They may be positioned one at each end of each slab or two at 50 eachside. The corresponding groove at the sides may be either short, of justsuflicient width to receive the lugs, or the length of the brick. InFigure 8 is shown another manner of positioning the lugs, that is, oneat each comer of the brick slabs diagonally positioned, with acorresponding diagonal groove in the bricks.

Multiple units may be made of any desired size to permit ease intransporting and applying them to the base wall. Another method ofsecuring the ornamental slabs to the wall, however, is as follows.Layers of Celotex and the backing units are nailed to the base wallbefore the brick slabs are fixed in place, and the slabs are then fixedin place as previously described.

The second method, in which a. wooden base is used, will now bedescribed. Multiple units may be formed by this method also of anydesired size. The backing unit of wood is shown at I2 and the brickslabs at l3. Each slab is provided with a diagonal groove I l at eachcorner so that a wire positioned in these grooves will be in a planeparallel to the plane of the backing when the slabs are in position.Lengths of wire I5 are placed in the grooves and the ends are twistedtogether as at l6 so as to hold the wire tightly in place. The slabs maythen be placed in their proper alignment and the staples l1 driven intothe wood around the wire. As in the other method, multiple units may bebuilt up of any desired size and thereafter transported and fixed on thebase wall. Another method is to nail the backing unitsto the base walland subsequently fix the slabs to the backing.

After the units are fixed to the base wall, by whichever method, mortaris placed between the bricks to complete the ornamental appearanceandprotect the fastening means from the weather. Thus, it can be seen, afacing wall is formed of a number of units of simple construction andpleasing appearance. The methods outlined, furthermore, are adaptable toform a facing wall having a surface of either ornamental brick or stone.It will be understood that in the preferred form shown in Figures 1 to 8or in the modified form shown in Figures 9 to 12 that the insulatingbacking may be eliminated and the means cooperating with the grooves ofthe brick nailed or otherwise secured directly to the wall which is tobe covered. In other words, the insulating backing is beneficial but notnecessary.

The standard brick as referred to in the specification and claims isintended to come under the present A. S. T. M. definition andclassification which is as follows: The standard size of brick shall be2 x 3%" x 8", with permissible variations of A in breadth or depth andA" in length. It will also be understood that while the preferredexposed surface dimensions of my veneer brick units 3 are substantiallythose of the standard brick, the materials for making said veneer units3 may vary considerably and still come within the scope of the presentinvention.

What I claim is:

1. A composite veneer slab wall structure, comprising a base surface,slab supporting and spacing members secured to said base surface andhaving spacing abutments for maintaining mortar lines, relatively thinveneer slabs disposed between said spacing abutments, said slabs havingrecesses for receiving a portion of said abutments and mortar fillingthe spaces between adjacent slabs, some of said mortar being interlockedbetween a laterally extending recessed portion of the edge of the brickand a portion of the spacing member.

.2. A composite veneer slab wall structure, comprising a base surface,metal supporting, spacing and reenforcing means secured to said basesurface and including laterally extending spacing means vertically andhorizontally arranged on the surface thereof for spacing the veneerslabs to maintain mortar lines, veneer slabs mounted on said metalsupporting means, said slabs having recesses for receiving a portion ofsaid supporting means and mortar filling the spaces between adjacentslabs and behind a portion of adjacent slabs and interlocking said slabsand spacing means.

3. A composite veneer slab wall structure, comprising a base surface,veneer slab supporting and spacing means secured to said base surfaceand having transversely spaced ofi-set portions out of contact with saidsurface for maintaining mortar lines, relatively thin veneer slabsdisposed between the oif-set portions of said spacing members, saidspacing members separating the edges of adjacent slabs substantially thewidth of a conventional mortar joint, and mortar filling the spacesbetween adjacent slabs and between the ofi-set portions of the spacingmembers, said spacing members, veneer slabs and mortar constituting aninterlocked unitary wall.

4. A composite veneer slab wall structure, comprising a base surface,veneer slab supporting and spacing means secured to said base surfaceand having transversely spaced off-set portions out of contact with saidsurface for maintaining mortar lines, relatively thin veneer slabs dis-.posed between the oif-set portions of said spacing members, and mortarfilling the spaces between adjacent slabs and between off-set portionsof the spacing members and behind a portion of the slabs whereby saidspacing members, veneer slabs and mortar constitute an interlockedunitary wall.

5. Exterior building construction comprising a supporting and securingmember formed of a strip of sheet metal, and a relatively thin slabhaving the surface appearance and texture of an ornamental building unitand flush edges, said slab having spaced grooves in said edges, saidsheet metal strip having stamped out portions which engage and hold theslabs in uniformly spaced relation in horizontal planes and in staggeredrelation in vertical planes to form conventional mortar Joints, saidportions fitting in the grooves of the said slab to hold the sameimmovably fixed to the said member.

6. Exterior building construction comprising a supporting and securingmember formed of a strip of sheet metal and a layer of insulatingmaterial, and a plurality of relatively thin slabs having the surfaceappearance and texture of ornamental building units, said slabs havinggrooves in their edges, said sheet metal strips having stamped outportions which engage and hold the slabs in uniformly spaced relation inhorizontal planes and in staggered relation in vertical planes to formconventional mortar joints, said portions fitting in the said grooves ofthe said slabs and mortar interlocked between said portions and asurface of said grooves whereby the said slabs are immovably fixed tothe said member.

7. Exterior building construction comprising a supporting and securingmember formed of a strip of sheet metal, a plurality of relatively thinslabs with flush edges and having the surface appearance and texture ofornamental building blocks, said slabs having spaced grooves in saidedges, and a plurality of lugs carried by said sheet metal strip andengaging and holding the slabs in uniformly spaced relation inhorizontal planes and in staggered relation in vertical planes to formconventional mortar joints, said lugs fitting into the said grooves ofthe said slabs, whereby the said slabs are immovably fixed to the saidmember.

8. Exterior wall construction having in combination a base wall, and athin veneer facing wall, said facing wall being made up of a plu ralityof units positioned adjacent to each other, said units being composed ofa backing, and fiat faced and backed slabs simulating standardornamental brick in size, shape, texture, and color but being greatlyreduced in thickness,

said slabs having grooves in their edges, said backing being formed of astrip of sheet metal and lugs fixed to said strip and engaging andholding the slabs in uniformly spaced relation in horizontal planes andin staggered relation in vertical planes to form conventional mortarjoints, said lugs fitting into the said grooves of the said slabs andplastically applied material interlocked between said lugs and a wall ofsaid grooves whereby the said slabs are immovably 10 fixed to the saidbacking.

NATHANIEL L. ABERSON.

